


That Night and Every Night After

by Cuthwyn



Series: Jason and the Rogues Gallery [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Brother Feels, Dick Grayson is Batman, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, confused!Dick
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 13:22:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6330889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuthwyn/pseuds/Cuthwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One night Dick Grayson did the unforgivable.<br/>He entered his brother into the system, betrayed and abandoned him.<br/>Protected him, the only way he knew how.</p><p>Tired and alone he couldn't help but feel that something was wrong at Arkham.</p><p>Stuck between a rock and a hard place</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Night and Every Night After

**Author's Note:**

> So, I wasn't planning on continuing this but I have had quite a few requests to carry on Rule Number One from Dick's PoV.
> 
> So, here you go?
> 
> This will have multiple chapters.

Look after your own, stay out of the system.  
It was an aspect of a very complex code every vigilante lived by.  
A night shift at Arkham was the busiest, hardest shift to have in the Asylum. Patients didn't sleep and it was also when they received the most admissions.  
The Red Hood was surprisingly complacent as he was brought onto the high security wing by two guards. Flanked by two more guards, Batman and surprisingly, the Commissioner.  
Although his concordance was probably more to disbelief, than actual acceptance of where he was being taken. The reaction was common and of now concern.

It was the new Batman that caught the staffs' attention. Most by now had made the link between him and Nightwing. The man who walked behind their new patient however, was far from the bright, confident young man with a contagious smile and a pun after every sentence. He walked next to the Commissioner, lips thin and tight, head bowed as if he wanted to be anywhere but here right now.   
Right now? The Batman looked like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.  
Every so often the Commissioner would shoot him a concerned glance and suddenly the policeman's presence made sense. He was here for moral support.

Smiling Dr Leland greeted the new Batman, before turning and introducing herself to the Red Hood, who looked anywhere but at her. It was when the doctor directed the guards to the cell to take him to, that the fact that this was actually happening seemed to sink in for the young man.  
'No!'   
The Red Hood bellowed, suddenly pulling back sharply. To a layman, it would seem that he was trying to break loose but the young man knew it was pointless. He didn't want to hurt the guards who were just doing their job.  
'No. Let go. I said let go!'  
Tugging back harder, he closed his eyes tightly, an unearthly roar erupting from his lips. Typically hiding his fear with anger.  
Within seconds, the guards were aided in keeping hold of the struggling man, by a pair of nurses;  
who tried to talk him down, voices low and calm.

Instead of getting involved in deescalating the situation as he had done before, even in his old persona as Nightwing. The new Batman turned away, his eyes fixed on the wall, lips thinning even further. The Commissioner took a step closer to him, as if wanting to offer comfort, but not quite being bold enough, or knowing what to say.  
In the end he just placed a hand on the Bat's shoulder and motioned towards the office.  
'Lets get this over and done with, Batman.'

Nodding slowly, the young man moved towards the door. Casting a glance back when he realised that the shouting had stopped.  
The Red Hood still struggled as he was manoeuvred back towards the cells, but his eyes were fixed on him, tears rolling down his cheeks.  
He had always cried when he was angry, no not just angry, truly angry and hurt.  
'You're really gonna do it aren't you?'  
'I'm sorry.'  
'No.'   
Despite everything that had happened in his short life, the Hood had always managed to keep a spark in his eyes. In that moment, his brother stood helplessly, and watched it flicker out.  
'This is what you get when you don't pass mustard. I know what you tell him, my replacement? Don't end up like me. I hate you.'  
Turning away, the new Batman huffed a breath before opening the door to the office, hearing his brother being dragged away.  
'It's muster.' He muttered quietly under his breath. Fighting back the memory of the day he'd handed the mantle of Robin over to him. Now was not the time.

 

Commissioner Gordon exchanged concerned glances with Doctor Leland before looking back at Batman. He was sat holding the pen staring at the Red Hood's sectioning papers. Just, staring.  
Holding a hand up to stop the doctor when she made to move, the policeman crouched down next to the young man he'd known since he was a boy in green scaly shorts and pixie shoes.  
'You need to sign the papers, Son.'  
'I know.'  
'Without a nearest relative, it's protocol that Batman-'  
'I. Know.'   
The hand remained poised over the paper and the boy's head dipped forwards.

He couldn't do it.  
What would the real Batman do?  
He didn't know.  
He was alone.  
A rock and a hard place sounded like paradise right now.

'Batman, you need to sign in the box, at the bot-'  
'I said, I know, Doctor.'   
Dick snapped, his voice deep and booming. A tone he was slowly getting accustomed to.  
The pen, touched the paper, and with Batman's signature, he did the unforgivable.

As a vigilante you look after your own, that night? The new Batman, broke that rule. He entrusted his brother's care to others, he entered him into the system.

But did he really have a choice?

Stuck between a rock and a hard place?

He protected his brother. The only way he knew how.

That night, as he left the high security wing, alone, he could almost hear, if he conscerntrated, faint whispers, like ghosts.  
'Welcome home, Boy Wonder.'  
Shaking his head he carried on walking, he was imagining things. There was no such thing as ghosts, it was guilt talking.

That night? The new Batman sat alone, a glass of bourbon in his hand and let the darkness consume him. That night and the night after that and so many others after that the young man found himself with his new friend. 

Another Robin, a young boy, sighed and took himself to bed.Left alone like three others before him to tuck himself in and switch off the light.


End file.
